This week we examine the San Antonio Spurs
In the NBA, there are plenty of ways to go about rebuilding a team. In this series of articles, we will take a look at successful teams and what puts their teams over the proverbial “edge”.
In this installment of rebuilding models, we will take a look at last year’s Western Conference champions the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs Model:
There are a variety of factors that fascinate me about this model. First and foremost is the incredible amount of high impact players that the Spurs have from overseas. When you think of a foreign NBA player, words that typically come to mind are “bust”, “overrated” or Dirk Nowitzki. While it is rare to find top level players from these areas, the Spurs have three on their very own roster. The scouting department for the Spurs is top of the line when you look at who they have chosen in previous years.
They found their core of stars between the year 1997-2001. In 1997 the Spurs won the Draft Lottery and promptly selected Wake Forrest stand out big man Tim Duncan. Management penciled him in as the franchise Power Forward next to Hall Of Fame Center David Robinson. What the Spurs would do in the coming years were they separate themselves form other teams. In 1999, they crucially selected Argentinian shooting guard Manu Ginobili with the 57th pick. While it is rare to find any value that late in the draft, the Spurs would find a key piece to the puzzle. Why was Manu selected so late with the great size and shooting ability he has? Manu had already signed a 3 year contract with his argentinian club team (Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca) which would keep him in South America for quite some time. Many teams that needed players immediately could not afford to wait that long. Ginobli ended up playing in Europe from 1998-2002 anyway and only came to the NBA before the 2002 season. With a already formidable veteran trio including David Robinson, Steve Kerr and Danny Ferry, the spurs picked late again in 2001 after winning an NBA title.
They nabbed French Point Guard Tony Parker with the 28th pick. At the age of nineteen Parker joined the Spurs and would be vital towards future title runs. Many teams have a short window of title contention, but San Antonio’s has lasted from 1997-present. You can thank that to stellar drafting and solid free agent acquisitions. Not to mention my personal favorite head coach Gregg Popovich who is a sure fire Hall of Famer. This extremely rare combination (never replicated) of foreign talent, Great coaching, and successful vets is what sets them apart from others. Look for the spurs to keep competing now that young players Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter, and Danny Green look to leave their mark on this storied franchise.
What teams can learn from San Antonio:
Teams should learn to value every pick, because even the later ones can prove to be extremely valuable. Scouting in the NBA I feel is undervalued and teams should take note of how important it truly is. Another takeaway is keeping the same core of guys together. The amount of chemistry between Duncan and Parker on a pick and roll, or Parker on a drive and dish to Ginobli and co. is truly a joy to watch.
Next weeks installment: The Miami Heat
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